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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The Next Xbox and Its Controller Are Currently Covered In Crazy Stripes

April 2nd, 2013Top Story

The Next Xbox and Its Controller Are Currently Covered In Crazy Stripes

By Stephen Totilo

Controllers for the next Xbox as well as prototype versions of both Microsoft's new, powerful console and the machine's new, mandatory Kinect sensor have been in the hands of game creators since last month. But that's not much of a surprise. What is a surprise is that all of that gear is covered in criss-crossing, radiating black and white stripes. The console codenamed Durango currently looks like a zebra.

Microsoft doesn't talk publicly about its new console, which is likely to hit shelves in America late this year or early next. But four unrelated games industry sources have all confirmed the look of the development hardware to Kotaku.

The question isn't if the Durangos are wearing their referee shirts now. The question is why.

Two probable reasons:

  • Discouraging Leakers: A few weeks before Microsoft rival Sony revealed its PlayStation 4 to the world, the world got to look at the PlayStation 4's controller. That look came courtesy of photos of the controller leaked to outlets such as Kotaku. The PS4 controller is black, as were the ones whose images leaked. Black controllers are hard to tie to specific owners. If everyone—every game developer, publisher, marketer, researcher, enterprising mailman, etc.—who has a controller has a black one, then any leak of that controller is untraceable.

    A lot about Durango has already leaked. Microsoft would probably like to put an end to that. So, consider something like this mock-up:


    (Above: a current Xbox 360 controller with white tiger stripes. This is not a leaked photo of a next-gen Xbox controller.)

    But if everyone who has the next Xbox's controller has one with its own special black and white stripes? And if those strips vary? Then any leak could be traced, to some extent. Only a person who doesn't mind obliterating the relationship between Microsoft and the intended recipient of the controller is going to leak a photo.

    The only problem with this theory is that the stripe patterns may not differ across these devices. The only way to confirm that is to get two people to compare their controllers or to compare two controllers ourselves, something we haven't been able to do. And if those two are the same, maybe there still is another variation out there. Which potential leaker would take the chance that each controller was identical?

  • Baffling Observers. During World War I, the British military painted warships in zany black and white patterns similar to those on the Durango's controller, console and Kinect. Those stripes, referred to as "dazzle camouflage," were designed to disguise some of the ships' traits. The stripes made it harder to assess the ships' size and speed.

    Modern auto makers use similar patterns to obscure the contours of new cars that might be spotted during a test drive but aren't officially announced yet. The patterns can make it hard to ascertain the edge of a spoiler. The patterns can also confound a camera's autofocus.


    (Above: January 1919: The 'Jan Beydell' in dazzle camouflage bringing Sir Douglas Haig in to port and to the reception committee awaiting him on the quayside. Photo by A. R. Coster/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images.)

    Instead of discouraging leakers, Microsoft may simply have been trying to apply some dazzle camouflage of its own, but to obscure what? The console war isn't exactly World War I, and there aren't many candidates out there who'd be ready to clone Microsoft's controller, let alone the shape of its Kinect and development console. Certain curves, however, might seem proprietary enough that they'd rather the public not see them yet, not until Microsoft is ready to show its new Xbox off, finished, non-Zebra paint job and all.

Microsoft's subterfuge would seem warranted if the next Xbox was some wild new shape. Don't get too excited. There's no sign that the new console is shaped like a conch shell or that its controller resembles, say, a TV remote.

The controller, according to Kotaku sources, actually seems quite similar to the current Xbox 360 one. Same two analog sticks in the same upper-left/lower-right position, same positioning of the d-pad and face buttons and forward and back buttons. Triggers. Bumpers. Top-center power button. It all seems to be the same, though we can't tell if any of these buttons have been improved—if, say, the d-pad responds more crisply, if the triggers pull more deeply, and so on. The new controller, as we reported more than a year ago, is apparently a little smaller than the existing 360 one. It's still the same basic shape, perhaps with refined contours. It's more or less what people are used to.

The new controller doesn't have any major new input interfaces either, from what we understand. No new buttons and certainly no added screen like the Wii U controller has nor a baked-in touchpad like the PS4's.

We're not expecting to be able to show you the new Xbox's controller any time soon. You can read specs on the machine, if you'd like. Otherwise, just sit tight. By June's big E3 show, if not sooner, we'll surely know what the next Xbox will look like. It's a safe bet that it won't be called Durango by then and won't look like a zebra if or when it comes time for you to get one.

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

April 2nd, 2013Top Story

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

By Whitson Gordon

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?There's nothing like digging into your first Linux distribution, whether you're a tech-savvy user looking to branch out or whether you're installing it on a friend's computer. But which distribution is actually better for beginners? Here, we'll delve into the differences between Ubuntu and Mint, the two most popular beginner distros, and perform a little experiment to see what new users prefer.

Mint is actually based off Ubuntu, but the two have grown apart quite a bit. However, they're both designed to be an easy, usable experience for beginners—they just take different approaches to it. In this article, we'll talk about who these "beginners" are, discuss where each distribution's strengths and weaknesses lie, and then put them in front of some beginners to see what they think.

Who Are Linux Beginners?

When people are looking for the "best beginner distro," they usually fall into one of two camps: The first is a group of tech savvy tweakers that want to explore Linux for the first time, because they like the idea of a free operating system that gives them lots of power. The second camp, however, consists of people that know nothing about Linux. Perhaps you're trying to install Linux on a relative's old computer to speed it up, or to solve their constant virus problems. They don't know what Linux really is and probably don't really care, they just want a better computing experience.

Mint and Ubuntu are often heralded as the best distro for both types of beginner. So, we'll talk about both sets of users when applicable. What's better for one isn't always better for the other, which means you may want to choose a different distro depending on what type of beginner you're trying to help.

How Ubuntu and Mint Differ

Again, Mint is based off Ubuntu, but they've become quite different over the years. Each has its own different versions, but today we'll be comparing the two main versions of each: Ubuntu's Unity interface for desktops, and Linux Mint's Cinnamon interface for desktops. Here's how the two differ from one another.

The Basic Interface

While Ubuntu and Mint both share certain interface elements, they've each developed their own desktop shell that makes them very different. The best way to think of it is like this: Ubuntu seems to take its cues from OS X, while Mint shares more in common with Windows.

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

Ubuntu's Unity interface puts a dock on the left-hand side of the screen, with big icons for all your favorite programs that you can customize to your needs. Along the top, it has a menu bar that shows the current app's File, Edit, and other menus, as well as your Wi-Fi, bluetooth, and other quick settings. You can access other applications, settings, and features from Ubuntu's "Dash" menu by clicking on the Dash icon at the top of the dock. From there, you can type in the name of an app or other item and the Dash will find it for you. You can navigate the Dash with your mouse, but its incredibly complicated for beginners, hiding a lot of your apps under expandable menus and small icons. That means browsing for apps is a pretty bad experience.

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

Mint's Cinnamon interface, however, sticks a taskbar at the bottom of the window. The taskbar has a small popup menu that lists most of the applications and settings on your computer. It's very similar to Windows' Start menu, letting you browse your installed applications by hovering over different categories. When you open up an app, you'll see a button appear on the taskbar, just like in Windows Vista and before. You can even add a few shortcuts to the side of your taskbar like Windows' old quick launch.

When it comes to ease of use, they both have their advantages and quirks. Ubuntu's dock is pretty easy to use right away, but when you open the Dash, things get a little more complicated. Mint's menu, on the other hand, is much easier to browse, since it lists all your apps by category in a familiar way. It may have a smaller taskbar with harder-to-see shortcuts, but beginners should be able to find anything they're looking for just by opening Mint's main menu. Both menus are searchable, however, which can make things easier if you know what you're looking for.

Performance

Linux Mint definitely has an edge when it comes to speed. Ubuntu's gotten faster over the past few versions, but Mint always feels pretty snappy, even on older or lower-powered hardware (at least compared to Ubuntu). If you're installing Linux to speed up an old computer, Mint may offer you a better experience.

Using and Installing Apps

Both Ubuntu and Mint come with a set of preinstalled apps that cover most of your needs: an office suite, a web browser, a music player, a video player, and so on. We think Mint's selection is better than Ubuntu's, since it includes Pidgin instead of the less mature Empathy, the easy-to use VLC, and the feature-filled Banshee, for example. However, this isn't crucial since you can always install new apps.

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

Both Ubuntu and Mint also have their own app stores that make it easy for beginners to find, research, and download new apps. Ubuntu's Software Center is a bit easier to find, since it's in the dock by default, has a descriptive "shopping bag" icon, and a name that suggests "this is where you get new software." When you open it up, its laid out a bit more like a professional app store, with featured apps, screenshots, star ratings, and categories. It's not perfect, but at least it's trying.

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

Mint's "Software Manager," on the other hand, has a slightly more generic name and brown package icon, which makes it a bit harder to find. It almost looks like a system tool rather than an app store, which is more intimidating to beginners. Its layout is also very basic, showing you just a few general categories on the main screen. Both stores are easier than trying to teach new users about repositories and packages, so they're both beginner-friendly compared to the alternatives.

Customization

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

Linux is great for tweakers: it allows you to customize every inch of your computer, from shortcuts to the size of your menus to the way windows work. Ubuntu, however, has done away with a lot of this lately. It does still offer some preferences, but it's much more "what you see is what you get" than Mint, which has loads of settings for tweaking everything down to the minute details of your interface. Many beginners may not care about this, but if you're a tech savvy user looking to learn about Linux, you'll probably find more things to "play with" in Mint.

The Experiment: Which Do Beginners Like Better?

We can sit here and compare the two distros all day long, but with beginners—particularly ones that are less tech-savvy—the best way to find out what they like is to have them try it!

So, I took a few friends and family members, sat them in front of two laptops with Mint and Ubuntu installed, and had them perform some simple tasks on each. The tasks were simple, but gauged how "intuitive" the OS was for a new user: I had them do things like open up a web browser, find their Documents folder, navigate to an app they've never heard of, and change some settings. It isn't an enormous sample size or a perfectly scientific study, but each person had a different level of savviness, and we had a good mix of Windows and OS X users to even things out. All in all, the experiment gave some good insight on what new users find easy (and not so easy).

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?

At first, the majority of my "test subjects" found Mint much easier to use. Finding their home folder was easy because it was right there on the desktop, while Ubuntu's dock made it a bit more difficult to figure out where their file manager was. Mint's menus were easy to use, so they could browse by category and find apps they had never heard of before (and guess their purpose). They found Ubuntu's Dash very confusing, since using the search bar wasn't their first instinct (and since they didn't always know what they were looking for). Ubuntu won when it came to installing new apps, though: everyone found the Software Center very easy to find and use, while most couldn't even figure out where to go in Mint.

However, while they found everything in Mint much quicker, about half of them said that they liked Ubuntu better when the experiment was over. Some of it was less intuitive, but once they realized how easy it was to search the Dash or add new items to their dock, they said they'd be more likely to install Ubuntu than Mint. This didn't apply to everyone, but it did surprise me that many liked Ubuntu's Dash once they learned how it was supposed to work.

Of those polled, the tech savvier users liked Mint better, while the less tech savvy users were more split, leaning toward Ubuntu once they learned the tricks of the trade.

Tech-Savvy Beginners: Go With Mint

If you're a tech head looking to try out Linux for the first time, I highly recommend Mint. It has a lot more room for customization than Ubuntu, so even if there are things you don't love about the interface, you can change them. Mint has also become very popular, so it has a forum full of users to help you take your first steps in learning all about Linux.

True Beginners: It's a Draw

Ubuntu vs. Mint: Which Linux Distro Is Better for Beginners?After giving both distributions to a few beginners, it's hard to pick one as the "best." I'll admit that I'm not a big fan of Unity, and I originally thought Mint was going to beat Ubuntu hands down, but the Ubuntu team has put together something pretty good. We Linux users may not like it, but beginners are a different story.

So, if you're looking to help a friend out and install Linux on their system, give them an opportunity to try both! My whole experiment took less than 10 minutes per person, and all you need is a few free live CDs to give them a quick glance at each OS. Even though my experiment was pretty basic, every person had a good idea of which one they'd rather have installed on their computer, so you can solve this debate by letting them decide.


Ubuntu and Mint aren't the only Linux distributions out there, and perhaps there's something even better for beginners out there. However, both Ubuntu and Mint are very popular, have thriving communities, and are designed specifically for non-Linux veterans, so they're a great place to start.

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Document Shows John Travolta Paid at Least $84,000 Last Year Over Sexual Assault Claims

April 2nd, 2013Top Story

Document Shows John Travolta Paid at Least $84,000 Last Year Over Sexual Assault Claims

By Camille Dodero

Document Shows John Travolta Paid at Least $84,000 Last Year Over Sexual Assault ClaimsButt-chinned actor John Travolta faced a messy litany of sexual charges last year, accusations that varied in size, shape, and credibility. Most famously, there were the two John Doe masseurs, a pair of anonymous muscle-rubbers whose tag-teamed lawsuit claimed the celebrity Scientologist separately turned their private massage sessions into predatory gay assaults. There was also Fabian Zanzi, a former cruise-ship employee who claimed the VIP guest rubbed his "erect penis" against him. (Both suits were ultimately dropped, both followed by an abrupt silence.)

But those weren't the only serious accusations leveled against the actor: Gawker has obtained an internal report of insurance claims made against Travolta's production company, Constellation Productions Inc., showing four other parties privately issued attorney demand letters "alleging sexual assault" within the last year, including the actor's longtime stunt double, his former driver, and a physical therapist. What's more is that Travolta's insurer paid out $84,500 against two of these six claims.

Document Shows John Travolta Paid at Least $84,000 Last Year Over Sexual Assault Claims

According to the document, a "loss-run" report from Chartis Insurance (a name briefly used by an AIG subsidiary in an abandoned rebranding attempt), one small payment went to a previously unreported accuser, a Chicago-area sports therapist who worked with the US women's soccer team in 2008. The other line-item payout, $80,750, was allotted to the John Doe masseur case.

A quick refresher on the John Doe #1 and #2 timeline:

  • On Friday, May 4, 2012, an anonymous Beverly Hills masseur filed an uncomfortably graphic federal complaint against Travolta, recounting a private session during which the actor became verbally nasty, grabbed the masseur's scrotum, jerked off, and, at one point, offered to broker a three-way with an unnamed actress—but only if the two men had sex first.
  • The following Tuesday, May 8, a second plaintiff was added to the original suit by lawyer Okorie Okorocha. John Doe #2, a Georgia-based masseur who would later be outed as John "Casey" Truesdale, accused Travolta of similarly inappropriate behavior during an in-room Atlanta hotel session, including masturbation, repeated insistence on "spreading his butt cheeks," and forcible hugging.
  • On May 9, Travolta's lawyer Marty Singer furnished proof that his client had not been in California on the date and time of John Doe #1's alleged transaction. The plaintiff insisted the incident still happened, but that he got the date wrong.
  • On May 15, 2012, Okorocha filed a request to dismiss Doe #1 from the suit.
  • Three days later, on May 18, John Doe #2 filed a motion to dismiss the case completely, saying publicly that he'd chosen Gloria Allred instead of Okorocha to represent his interests. There is no record of his case being filed again.

These details correspond with the largest financial claim on the loss-run document, a total payout of $80,750: The claimant is listed as "unknown"; the line-item description states the claim arose from a "suit brought on behalf of the plaintiffs alleging assault, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress" (the same grounds as John Does #1 and #2); and the loss date is May 15, 2012, the same day John Doe #1 was dropped from the suit and three days before John Doe #2 filed a motion to dismiss the case completely. On the report, there are no other claims filed around this time.

All of which is to say that despite Marty Singer's public insistence that no settlement offer was made in the John Doe case, Travolta's insurance company tells a different story. (It bears noting that $80,750, while not an insubstantial amount, is orders of magnitude lower than the $2 million in damages the John Does initially demanded.)

The other insurance payout cited in the report—a far smaller amount of $3,850—went to claimant Mark Higgins, identified here as a "former employee" whose attorney issued a "demand letter...alleging sexual assault." That would presumably be the same Mark Higgins profiled by the Limerick Leader in 2007, an Irish triathlete turned sports-injury therapist who "treated some high profile stars including John Travolta who suffered a back injury while playing golf in Adare some years ago."

Adare Manor is an extravagant five-star hotel and golf resort in Limerick where Travolta has stayed. In May 2004, ShowBiz Ireland photographed the actor driving his late son Jett around the Emerald Isle grounds; you can still find those images on Getty. Higgins, who now lives outside of Chicago with his wife and son, resided in Ireland until 2005. His LinkedIn profile puts him at the Irish Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Science from 2001 to 2004. (An Adare Manor Human Resources representative couldn't confirm or deny whether Adare directly employed Higgins, citing a difficulty with employee-record archives prior to 2006.) So the timetable aligns, as does the pattern of transaction surrounding previous allegations: One of Higgins's professional specialties is medical massage.

Even Fabian Zanzi's suit alleged that Travolta's assault began with the seemingly innocent request of a neck rub. His name and information also appears on the insurance-claim list; it shows up as open and unpaid.

The names of three other Travolta associates appear on the insurance list, citing claims brought on by attorney demand letters "alleging sexual assault" that hadn't been fulfilled. One is Mark Riccardi, a veteran stunt-coordinator who'd worked as Travolta's stunt-double for years on projects like Get Shorty, Face/Off, and Battlefield Earth and continues to use his Travolta affiliation as a selling point, even on his Twitter account. Riccardi's attorney, Michael Bressler, denied any knowledge of the demand letter. "He's made no allegations against Mr. Travolta," Bressler insisted over the phone. "I ask that you not include his name."

The report also states that someone named Anthony Brazas—which happens to be the name of Travolta's former driver and stand-in—issued an attorney demand letter "alleging sexual assault," but has not been paid by the insurer. Another individual named James Carney, whose identity and relationship to Travolta couldn't be determined, is also listed as having made an assault claim.

At the time of the report, all six claims were listed as still open.

We contacted Travolta's lawyer Marty Singer, Mark Higgins, Zanzi's attorneys, Tony Brazas, Okorie Okorocha, and AIG for comment; none returned our messages.

[Image via Getty]

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